Iron Mountain Boyers (WPA-1)

The story

Fifty miles north of Pittsburgh in Boyers, Pennsylvania, Iron Mountain operates WPA-1 inside a 1,000-acre former limestone mine 220 feet beneath the surface. Protected by layers of solid rock against tornadoes, electromagnetic radiation, and thermal extremes, the mine stays naturally cool. Iron Mountain draws water from a 35-acre subterranean lake inside the mine cavern for geothermal cooling, recycling the chilled water with minimal power draw. The fortress hosts ultra-secure federal agency records, financial archives, and corporate DR platforms.

Notable

• Located 220 feet (67 meters) underground in a 1,000-acre former limestone mine in Butler County, Pennsylvania.
• Cooled by a 35-acre subterranean lake created by groundwater infiltration that maintains a constant 52°F (11°C) temperature.
• Houses secure federal government computing facilities including the Office of Personnel Management (OPM).
• Features its own underground fire brigade, water treatment facility, and redundant underground electrical substations.

Expansions

• 1954: National Storage Company acquires former limestone mine for records storage
• 1998: Iron Mountain purchases Boyers facility
• 2008: WPA-1 underground commercial data centre launched
• 2018: expands underground halls for federal security clearance workloads